South Africa is located at the southern tip of the African continent and is known for its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and wildlife.

Language: South Africa has 11 official languages and a multilingual population fluent in at least two. IsiZulu and isiXhosa are the largest languages, while English is spoken at home by only one in 10 people

• Apartheid Museum
• Mandela House
• Constitution Hall
• Johannesburg Zoo
• Wildlife (Tswalu Kalahari - South Africa's largest private game reserve)
• Big 5 Safari (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, African buffalo)
• Montecasino Bird Garden
• South African National Museum of Military History
• Gold Reef City - like the Disney World of Johannesburg

• Rosebank - Rosebank is a cosmopolitan commercial and residential suburb to the north of central Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located in Region B of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, and is the location of a Gautrain station.
  • •  Hyatt House Johannesburg Rosebank (Google 4.5 stars on Google Reviews)  - $98 per night with breakfast
• Sandton - Sandton is a financial, commercial and residential area, located in the northern part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Formerly an independent municipality, Sandton's name came from the combination of two of its suburbs, Sandown and Bryanston. 
• Maboneng - A hip and artsy neighborhood with some of the best bars and clubs in Johannesburg. It's known for its street art and murals. 
• Historic downtown - A colorful and energetic area with great markets. 
• Soweto - A well-known township with museums like the Apartheid Museum and Nelson Mandela House. 
• Yeoville - Home to the Yeoville Dinner Club, a small, stylish room with a balcony that serves Pan-African dishes. 
• Market Theatre area - A cultural hub with lots of music venues and bars. 
• Melville - A trendy and friendly neighborhood. 
• Newtown - A neighborhood where you can visit the theater, try different food, and enjoy the music. 
• Parktown - A neighborhood with lots to see, including Jol in Constitution Hill and sound competitions in the basement. 
• Norwood - A walkable suburb with great restaurants on Grant Avenue and a classy hotel bar called the Ascot. Satyagraha House, a high-end guesthouse on the outskirts of Norwood, is the restored former home of Mahatma Gandhi. 

• At night, stay away from dark, isolated areas. It is always better to explore in groups and to stick to well-lit, busy streets. Plan your route beforehand and, as far as possible, do not ask directions from strangers.

• Proud Mary - nestled in the heart of Rosebank's foodie district. A modern mid-century inspired all-day eatery and wine bar to suit every taste.

• The Grillhouse Rosebank - A popular steakhouse and music venue with a terrace and art deco decor 

• Marabi Jazz Club - A jazz club in the basement of the Hallmark House Hotel with a long bar and authentic dining experience 

• Saint - A high-end restaurant with a window seat view of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, serving Neapolitan-style pizza and other dishes 

• Aduna Bistro - A bistro in the African Pride Hotel with a breakfast buffet, classic bistro dishes, and a veranda 

• Eat Your Heart Out - A Jewish-inspired deli in the Maboneng Precinct with a breakfast menu 

• Tasha's - A popular restaurant with a people-watching scene and a menu that varies by branch 

• Quills - A European restaurant with a menu that some say has tasty food and friendly staff 

• Ghazal - An Indian restaurant with a menu that some say has consistent quality food and great wines

EXCURSIONS

Johannesburg Itinerary

Day 1

• Morning: 10:00 am - 2:30 pm Create a custom bomber jacket or an African print clothing item experience - from concept to finished garment with lunch included. $100.00 - $150 pp https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/1542237 OR https://youtu.be/F313ryrqaqQ?si=i7Hgdg3OD2R_juj- 

• Afternoon: 2:30 pm - 5: 00 pm Visit the Apartheid Museum to learn about South Africa's complex history. $9.00

• Evening: Enjoy a vibrant dinner.

  • PATA PATA, black-owned restaurant.

Day 2

• Morning: 9:00 am- 2:00 pm Explore Soweto on a guided tour visiting Mandela House and Vilakazi Street. $60.00 

• Afternoon: 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm Take a cooking class from a local chef and learn to prepare a traditional African dish.$27.00 

• Evening: Immerse yourselves in the energy of a Maboneng market, filled with local crafts, art, and food.

• Night: Explore Johannesburg nightlife.

Day 3

• Morning : Relax

• Afternoon 

  • Choose your own adventure:

  • Optional Activities

  • Pamper yourselves at a spa with traditional African treatments like scalp massages. Varied

  • Make your way to Sandton Mall. While it’s the most popular mall in South Africa and offers a plethora of designer stores and more, don’t feel obligated to stay there all day. Varied

    • For lunch, we highly recommend Proud Mary’s in Rosebank. Their fried cauliflower is nothing short of heavenly, and it’s the drinks and food combination that truly makes this spot shine.

• Evening: Dinner at Marabi Jazz Club at 7:30pm 

Day 4

• Morning: 

  • Full Day Safari tour of Pilanesberg National Park. $155.00 

• Optional Activities

  • Pamper yourselves at a spa with traditional African treatments like scalp massages. Varied

  • Visit Lion & Safari Park for a guided tour. $50- 150

  • Nirox Sculpture Garden $35.00

  • Make your way to Sandton Mall. While it’s the most popular mall in South Africa and offers a plethora of designer stores and more, don’t feel obligated to stay there all day. Varied

    • For lunch, we highly recommend Proud Mary’s in Rosebank. Their fried cauliflower is nothing short of heavenly, and it’s the drinks and food combination that truly makes this spot shine.

• Evening: Celebrate with a farewell at Prawnery at 7:30-

• Night: Explore Johannesburg nightlife.

Day 5

• Morning: 

  • 10:00 am- 2:30 pm Lesedi cultural village provides an excellent African experience in the country; one that provides insight into South Africa's colorful diversity of tribal cultures. $118.00 *transportation included 

• Optional Activities

  • Pamper yourselves at a spa with traditional African treatments like scalp massages. Varied

  • Visit Lion & Safari Park for a guided tour. $50- 150

  • Nirox Sculpture Garden $35.00

  • Make your way to Sandton Mall. While it’s the most popular mall in South Africa and offers a plethora of designer stores and more, don’t feel obligated to stay there all day. Varied

    • For lunch, we highly recommend Proud Mary’s in Rosebank. Their fried cauliflower is nothing short of heavenly, and it’s the drinks and food combination that truly makes this spot shine.

    • After your delicious meal, take a stroll to the Rosebank Market. Here, you’ll discover a treasure trove of souvenirs, unique custom designs, and so much more to bring back memories of your time in JoBurg. (Sunday 9-4)

Evening Depart Johannesburg: Reflect on your journey, filled with newfound connections, cultural discoveries, and memories that will last a lifetime. 

General Budgeting

• Flights from US $500- $1000

• Excursions: $500 (total pp)

• Daily budget - $100 (R 1764) per day

• Transportation: The average taxi cost in Johannesburg is around $20 - $40 (300 - 600 South African Rand) for a trip from the airport to the city center.

• Tipping Culture

  • Tipping in South Africa is customary and depends on the type of service and where you are. Here are some tips for tipping in South Africa: 

    • Restaurants and bars: Tip around 10–15% of the bill. You can round the bill up to the next significant amount, or leave a small tip for each drink. For tables of six or more, the restaurant may automatically add a 10% tip to the total bill. 

    • Bartenders: Tip R5 per alcoholic drink. 

    • Parking attendants: Tip R5–10. 

    • Taxi drivers: Tip 10–20% of the total fare, usually via the app used to request the ride. 

    • Safari guides: Tip at least R100–R200 per guest, per day in a shared vehicle. If you are in a private hired vehicle, tip at least double that amount per guest. 

      • R100 = $5-$6 USD

    • Other non-service-related tips: Tip R10–R20 for someone who guards your car, fills up your petrol tank, cleans your windscreen, checks your tires, or carries your bags. 

  • Tipping is voluntary and depends on the quality of service received

My Personal Travel and Spending Diary

Pre-Trip Expenses

Before you to to Africa, make sure you talk to a travel doctor or travel clinic to get your recommended vaccines: Hep A, typhoid, tetanus, yellow fever, etc. I was also going to Mozambique for this trip, which is a little more naturey (that's definitely not a word). So I got a prescription for Malaria pills as well. Your doctor can also prescribe some anti-diarrhea medicines to take in case something you eat does not agree with you. When it comes to all of the artificial preservatives, American good is probably worse for you. However, their level of cleanliness when preparing food is why we think American food is safer (in my personal opinion).

Check the Temperature. 

So when you think about Africa, you think it's going to be hto right? Well wrong.  looke dup the temeprature a couple fo days before my trup and it told me it was going to be 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 42 degress Fahreneheit at nhight. So you mean to tell me that I'm leaving autm in the states to go to winter in South Africa. Okay, this changes my whole wardrobe selection, b ecause now I need layers just to keep warm.

Saturday - Travel Day

Take a trip to South Africa with me. We were headed to Johannesburg to explore the southern part of the continent of Africa. Anytime I can go to Africa, I am excited, because for so long, I visited places in North America, Europe, and Asia. So this is always a new adventure for me.

• Parking at the airport - $14 a day x 10 days = $140

• Spinach mango banana apple orange juice smoothie from Extreme Pita at the Airport = $9.17

Prior to this trip, I had visited 36 countries so far, and this flight to Joburg (Johannesburg for short) has been my most expensive economy flight. My flights ended up being around $970 for the round trip flight to Johannesburg, South Africa and $470 for the flight to and from Mozambique. So far, on the continent, I have visited Kenya, Seychelles, and Morocco. So this will be my 4th and 5th African country. 

Sunday - Travel Day

The first flight from the DC Area to Amsterdam was 7 hours. I landed at midnight DC Time, which was actually 7am in Amsterdam. So I officially lost 6 hours. We had to wait a couple of hours to board the next flight from Amsterdam to Johannesburg. PS I love the airport in Amsterdam. It's so clean and modern. That next flight was 11 hours. So we landed in in Joburg a little before 10pm at night. 

That was Day 1 and Day 2 of my travels. So make sure you plan your vacation with enough time to allot for your travel days.  

Now my meals were taen care ofon the airplane. They gave me dinner, a snack, and a breakfast sandwhic on the 7 hour glight. On the 11 hour flight, we got lunch, a snakc, and dinner. 

Our flight landed around 10pm. We took an Uber form the airport to the hotel and by the tieme we got our luugage, request our Ubder, and got to the hotel, it was around 11pm. 

We stayed at Hyatt House Rosbank. 

• The receptionist, Sello, at the front desk was really nice and accomodating. (10/10)

• So was the bell hop (11/10). 

• They gave us some nihght club recommensions, like this place called Piano Hub in Soweto. But we ended up going to our room, taking a hot shower, and going to bed. Luckily, South AFrican wate from the tap is safe to drink, because I had already brushed my teeth and forgot to use bottled water. The hotel was  so nice and modern. So I'm glad they had filtered tap water. 

• The Hyatt House in Rosebank gave the feel that it was a small boutique hotel. the hotel foyer was beautifully decorated and welcoming as we entered through the doors after 24 hours of travel. The staff was super friendly. Everything was clean. They had a place where you could buy snacks and drinks since restaurant has closed hours aao at 9pm.While the room was small, it was defintiely clean, modern, and well thougut out. The golden fixtuers in the shower were highlighted by the waterfall shower head. Here are some of the hotel amenities.

  • Buffet Breafkast - 8:30am- 10:30am

  • Lunch 12pm - 5pm

  • Dinner 5:30pm - 9pm

  • Gym - 1st floor

  • Rooftop and rooftop Pool - 5th floor - The pool is not heated but is open from 9am - 9pm.

  • Things to note: They are a hilal hotel and don't serve alcohol. So although I thought I say wine in the hotel convenience store, that was actually non-alcoholic wine. 

  • You can walk to the mall in 10 minutes. But it's suggested that ou don't walk at night and that you make sure you put your phone away. 

Spending

• Ubers - In All our Ubers added up to around $300. But split between 3 of us that came out to $100 a person. So I'm not going to include the cost of every uber. But I'll notate when an Uber was used. 

• Uber from Airport to Hotel

• Snack from hotel convenience store - R16 - Doritos (now I know it's crazy to eat Doritos in other countries, but it seems like they always have flavors I have never tried before).